Lifting device for furniture and the like



Nov. 18, 1941.

J. A. BROWN LIFTING DEVICE FOR FURNITURE AND THE LIKE Filed June 20, 1941 Patented Nov. 18, 1941 LIFTING, DEVICE F0111}, FURNITURE THE JohnA. Brown, Chicago, Ill. Ariplica'tionJuneZO, 1941, Serial ,No. 398,942

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a device that is adapted to be used for manually lifting objects such. as heavy furniture, crates, cases, and the like. The device is especially adapted for use in connection with articles which usually are not provided with handles or other convenient projecting members that may be grasped by the persons who desire to lift the furniture, crate or the like to move' it from one location to another. Frequently heavy articles such as dressers, crates, chests, etc., are not provided with feet or other elements which support the structure in spaced relation to the floor, and under such conditions it is found to be quite diificult to secure a firm grasp under the bottom edge of the article. Hence, it has been the custom to tilt or cant the article to one side in order to insert the fingers of the hands underneath the bottom; but this is dangerous because, should the article accidentally slip from one hand, it may crush or injure the fingers of the other hand.

The device which I have invented is adapted to be readily inserted under the bottom of the article of furniture and the like which it is; de- I sired to lift, and it is provided with a convenient.

handle that-is remote to the bottom-engaging.

member. This handle orhand-grasp is preferably of such construction that it may be folded flat against the face of the body of the device toprovide for convenient storage or packing for shipment, and if desired the bottom-engaging element or foot of the device may be constructed in a similar manner to permit it to be folded flat upon thebody. In certain styles of furniture the bottom edge of a particular dresser, chest, davenport, or the like is provided with ornamental portions which extend under the bottom and therefore do not present a'fiat surface. In order lit to permit the bottom-engaging member or foot of my device to engage an article such as. just mentioned I have provided the bottom-engaging member or foot with an equalizing member which will rock to one side or the other ofa central fulcrum so that the footwill engage with a greater area than would be possible if the foot should be made as an immovable partand unable to accommodate itselfto irregularities of the surface:

with. which it may be engaged.

The device which I have invented is novel in the construction and arrangement of its parts.

and these parts are of a sturdy character so'that' they are adapted to withstand severe usage. The device is dependable in its operation andit is effective in performing itsfunctions. It is an aim of my invention to provide a device of the, charpointed out inthe appended claims.

acter which is herein disclosed that is simple in construction and therefore is capable of being economically manufactured and sold to the user for a reasonable retail price. Further objects, aims, and advantages will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after my invention is understood from the within description. I prefer to practice my invention and to attain the numerous objects thereof by means of the structure which is hereinafter fully described and is more particularly Reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, looking at the side edge of oneof my improved lifters in its simplest form and showing the same in use;

Figure 2 is a vertical elevation looking at the lower portion of'the body member and towards the outer or free ends of the foot, the figure beng drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1, and showing a rocking plate.

Figure 3 is an edge elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a View in edge elevation of a slightly modified device in which a. hinged foot or stirrup is shown.

The drawing, it will be understood, is more or less schematic and it is for. the purpose ofdisclosing typical or preferred embodiments of my invention. In the drawing, like reference characters. are used to identify thesame parts where ever these parts appear in the different views.

The lifter device which I have invented comprises preferably a body portion, in the form of an elongated member 5. This member may be wood, metal, leather, webbing, or any other suitable rigid or flexible material. At or adjacent the top of member 5 I provide a hand-grip 6 which is of the swinging type and comprises a metal mounting plate I that is suitably secured to the body 5 by any suitable instrumentalities such as screws, rivets and the like] This plate l isprovided with an elongated hollow embossment 8 that is horizontally disposed andfprovides a journal or bearing for the spindle 9 which connects the ends of the hand-grip 6. Alongside the ends of the embossment there are lateral outwardly projecting stops l0 which are engaged by the adjacent portions of the handgrip and are adapted to prevent said grip from being moved beyond a substantially horizontal position or beyond a rightangle to the plane of the plate or the plane of the body member 5. It will be understood this hand-grasp structure may, in the event the article is made entirely of metal, be formed as an integral part of the member with the grip portion 6 either journaled in the manner shown, or it may be permanently off-set with relation to the body member 5. It is, however,.preferred to employ the swinging type of grip as it maybe readily collapsed for convenience in storage.

In its simplest form the bottom-engaging member or foot of the device may comprise a stifi metal plate,'of L-shape cross-section, with one of its flanges II rigidly secured to the face of the lower portion of the body with the other flange l2 projecting in a substantially horizontal plane relative to the plane of the body 5. The

it may have a. piece of rubber sheeting or the like to provide a surface that will create friction and prevent slippage. Also, if so desired, the rubber sheeting may be extended up upon and along theladjacent surface of the body member 5 to prevent the latter. rubbing against and marring the finish on the upholstery or the furniture.

It is frequently found that the bottom edges of the articles to be lifted are irregular due to the carrying out of a decorative motif or design, and in order to take care of such a condition and to permit the foot or stirrup to have a surface contact of substantial area with the article to be lifted, the engaging portion of the stirrup or foot may be made as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of I the drawing. In carrying out this part of my invention the stirrup or foot is provided with spaced upstanding ears or lugs [3 that have alined bores to receive a spindle I4 that passes through an elongated boss I 5 upon the bottom of a rocking plate I6. The rocking plate l6 of the stirrup or foot is preferably of the same dimensions as the lateral member l2 upon which it is mounted and it is adapted to tilt on its'fulcrum into inclined planes with respect to said member l2. Thus, when the foot is inserted under an article having an irregular shaped bottom surface, the tilting of the plate IE will accommodate the foot to the irregular surface whereby the body member will be in a true vertical plane and plumb from the handle. 1

In the event the article is made entirely of,

metal, the grip 6, as before stated, may be made in the manner described, and likewise the foot or stirrup will also be an integral member projecting laterally from the body and with the rocking plate mounted and attached to said,

bores to receive the spindle l8. The stirrup or foot 12a in this instance is preferably'a metal casting and is provided near one edge of its upper surface with an elongated boss I9 that is bored to receive the spindle I8. The edge portion of the foot, which is nearest the body 5a, projects beyond theiboss [9 to provide an element 20 that is adapted to engage or abut the lower edge of the body when the structure is in positionfor use as shown in Figure 4. This construction pro Vides a hinged connection between the stirrup or foot and the body which permits the foot to be folded up against the body in a compact or other end portion of the body. An opening 2| would be made in the members I2a in the space designated by the numeral 2| in Figure 4, thus providing a hand-grasp as well as a foot. It will beunderstood that either end of such a structure could be utilized as the foot, while the other .15 top face of the flange l2 may be roughened, or'

end acts as the handle. When using any of the types of lifting devices which I have herein disclosed, the foot portion or stirrup is inserted beneath the bottom of the article of-furmture, such as a dresser, davenport, chest, and the like, and the handle is grasped conveniently by the person who may then easily lift and move said article of furniture. Of course, with articles such as mentioned, there would be a person at each end thereof both of whom would use one or two of these lifting de.-' vices.

What I claim is:

' 1. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp at the upper portion of said body; and means at the lower portion of said body adapted for engagement with the lateral portion of the structure to be lifted, said means embodying a movable member adapted to be freely disposed in a plurality of planes oblique to a horizontal plane.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp at the upper portion of said body; a laterally disposed foot projecting from I the lower portion of said body; and a rockingplate fulcrumed on said foot.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a lateral foot projecting from one side of an end portion of said body, said foot having a portion that is adapted for movement relative to I the other portion of said foot, whereby said movable portion will readily accommodate itself to irregularities of the surface engaged by the foot; a normally pendent hand-grasp upon the oppositeside of said body at the end portion thereof remote to said foot; means hingedly connecting said hand-grasp to said body; and means constituting a stop adapted to limit upward swlng ing movement of said hand-grasp.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp at the upper portion of said body; and means at the lower portion of said body adapted for engagement with a lateralpcr tion of the structure to be lifted, said means embodying a fixed plate, and a movable member supported by said plate and adapted for disposition in a plurality of planes that are oblique to a horizontal plane.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp at the upper portion of said body; and an equalizing foot at the lower'portlon of said body adapted to automatically accommo body; a hand-grasp on said body; and a laterally disposed rocker-member at the lower portion of said body adapted for movement independent of said body whereby to accommodate itself to the surface with which it is engaged.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter 5 for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp on said body; a laterally disposed fulcrum element at the lower portion of said body; and a rocker-member supported by said fulcrum element and adapted to accommo- 10 date itself to a portion of the object to be lifted.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a lifter for furniture and the like comprising an elongate body; a hand-grasp on said body; a laterally disposed fulcrum element at the lower portion of said body; a rocker-member supported by said fulcrum element and adapted to accommodate itself to a portion of the object to be lifted; and means limiting the movement of said rockermember.

JOHN A. BROWN. 

